Universal outdoor modular kitchen system

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure provides an outdoor kitchen system that includes universal cabinet structures that are modular. The cabinets provided are configured to accommodate a wide range of kitchen components and are also configured to be arranged to form kitchens having various layouts. The system allows for quick and efficient construction of outdoor kitchen systems.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to provisional application Ser. No. 61/481,480 filed on May 2, 2011 titled Universal Outdoor Modular Kitchen System, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure provides an outdoor kitchen system with modular units that are configured to universally fit a wide range of kitchen accessories. Related methods are also provided.

BACKGROUND

Outdoor cooking has increased in sophistication from simply including a charcoal grill to full kitchen systems that include multiple components (e.g., gas grills, refrigerators, countertops, bars, storage cabinets, and trash cabinets). The arrangement, size, and shapes of these components vary. To accommodate these variables, the cabinet structures that support these components are often either constructed on site or pre-constructed based on customer specification and shipped fully assembled for installation. There is a need in the art to provide outdoor kitchen systems that are more easily and efficiently constructible.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides an outdoor kitchen system that includes universal cabinet structures that are modular. The cabinets provided are configured to accommodate a wide range of kitchen components and are also configured to be arranged to form kitchens having various layouts. The system allows for quick and efficient construction of outdoor kitchen systems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a kitchen system according to the principles of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a grill cabinet frame assembly of the kitchen system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an assembly view of the cabinet frame assembly of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged assembly view of portion A of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged assembly view of portion B of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a portion of the top plane of the cabinet frame assembly of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a portion of the top plane of the cabinet frame assembly of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a portion of the front plane of the cabinet frame assembly of FIG. 2;

FIG. 9 is a portion of the bottom plane of the cabinet frame assembly of FIG. 2;

FIG. 10 is a portion of the back plane of the cabinet frame assembly of FIG. 2;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a side burner cabinet frame assembly according of the kitchen system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is an assembly view of the cabinet frame assembly of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a one hundred thirty-five degrees filler cabinet frame assembly of the kitchen system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 14 is an assembly view of the cabinet frame assembly of FIG. 13; and

FIGS. 15-29 depict other variations of the kitchen system that are also in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1 an embodiment of an outdoor kitchen system according to the principles of the present disclosure is shown. The outdoor kitchen system includes modular units that are configured to universally fit a wide range of kitchen accessories. In the depicted embodiment the kitchen system 10 includes a number of different modular cabinets including a side burner cabinet 12, a grill cabinet 14, a filler cabinet 16, a trash cabinet 18, a dishwasher cabinet 20, and a refrigerator cabinet 22.

Referring generally to FIGS. 2-10, the grill cabinet 14 is described in further detail. In the depicted embodiment the grill cabinet includes a modular frame assembly that is configured to support a kitchen accessory (i.e., a grill unit). It should be appreciated that other types of cabinets have frames that are configured to support other types of kitchen accessories (e.g., trash units, refrigerators, dishwashing machines, sinks, side burners, etc.) In the depicted embodiment, the frame assembly 24 is configured to support a first sheet of backing material attached to the front, top and back planes. The sheet of backing material can be of the type that is designed to withstand prolonged exposure to moisture, for example, cement based boards such as National Gypsum's PermaBase or HardiBacker Cement Board. The sheet of backing material can be pre-attached to at least some components of the frame via fasteners (e.g., screws, rivets, etc.) and/or attached to the frame at the job site. In the depicted embodiment an outdoor veneer (stone veneer, tile, etc.) can be attached (e.g., glued, cemented) over the backing material.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 3, 4, 9, and 10, the primary components of the frame assembly 24 are described in further detail. In the depicted embodiment, the frame assembly 24 is constructed of a plurality of preassembled, generally planar sub-structures (top sub-structure 26, back sub-structure 28, front sub-structure 30, and bottom sub-structure 32), which are configured to be assembled at job sites by aligning mating structures 34 thereon. In the depicted embodiment the mating structures 34 on the bottom sub-structure 32 include first tabs 40 adjacent to posts 42. The posts 42 are received in post receiving apertures 44 on the front sub-structure 30 and the back sub-structure 28. When the posts 42 are received in the post receiving apertures, the first tabs 40 are configured to abut second tabs 46, which are fixed to the front sub-structure 30 and the back sub-structure 28. Each of the first and second tabs 40, 46 include apertures that are configured to align with each other and receive a fastener 48 therethrough. When the kitchen layout includes multiple cabinet frame assemblies arranged adjacent each other, the fasteners 48 can be extended through the first and second tabs of adjacent frame assemblies, thereby securing the modular units together. Since in the depicted embodiment many of the cabinets have generally the same height and depth, the cabinets are modular in nature in that they can be arranged and connected to form kitchen systems having multiple layouts.

It should be appreciated that the above-described sub-structures can be nested one on top of another to form a compact package for shipping. In the depicted embodiment the assembled frame assembly 24 is 36 inches high, 26 inches deep, and 60 inches wide. Each of the four primary components are 3 inches high including the height of the posts. Therefore, even if the posts are not nested, the package dimensions would be 12 inches high, 26 inches deep, and 60 inches wide. This would result in a shipping size that is ⅓60 of the assembled size. In some applications the posts can be nested or removable, which would thereby further decrease the package. For example, if the posts are nested or removable, the shipping size could be 4 inches high, 26 inches deep, and 60 inches wide.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 2, 5-8, the universality of the frame assembly 24 is described in greater detail. In the depicted embodiment, the frame assembly 24 defines two openings: a grill receiving opening 36 and a grill storage compartment opening 38. Both of these openings are adjustable in shape and size so that they can accommodate many different styles and brands of grills and grill storage compartments. The adjustability of the openings of the frame assembly 24 makes the cabinet universal in that it does not need to be manufactured specifically to fit a particular grill or grill storage compartment. In the depicted embodiment the grill receiving opening 36 is in part defined by the top sub-structure 26 and in part defined by the front sub-structure 30. Four structural members define the borders of the opening 36: a first adjustable length member 48, a first member with slide rails 50, a first L-shaped member 52, and a second L-shaped member 54. The first adjustable length member 48 includes an external face 56 that is in the top plane of the frame assembly 24. The first member with slide rails 50 includes an external face 58 that is in the front plane of the frame assembly 24. Both the first adjustable length member 48 and the first member with slide rails 50 extend in widthwise direction of the frame assembly 24. The first L-shaped member 52 and the second L-shaped member 54 include external faces 60, 62 that are both in the top plane and front plane of the frame assembly 24. The first and second L-shaped members 52, 54 are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the first adjustable length member 48 and the member with slide rails 50.

In the depicted embodiment the first adjustable length member 48 can be adjusted forward and rearward to accommodate grill units of different depths, and the first and second L-shaped members 52, 54 can be adjusted in the widthwise direction to accommodate grill units of different widths.

In the depicted embodiment the grill storage compartment opening 38 is defined by the front sub-structure 30. Four structural members define the borders of the opening 38: a second adjustable length member 64, a third adjustable length member 66, a first vertical member 68, and a second vertical member 70. In the depicted embodiment, each of the four structural members include external faces 72, 74, 76, 78 in the front plane of the frame assembly 24. In the depicted embodiment the widthwise distance between the vertical members can be adjusted to accommodate grill storage units that have different widths.

Still referring to FIGS. 2, 5-8, the example mechanisms for adjusting the size of the openings 36, 38 are further described. In the depicted embodiment the first, second, and third adjustable length members 48, 64, 66 include a telescoping construction including two tubular members each having different cross-sectional dimensions such that one of the tubular members fits within the other. The adjustable length members 48, 64, 66 are attached between members that include tabbed ends 80 that ride in channels 82 in the slide rails 50 (see FIG. 5). In the depicted embodiment the tabbed ends 80 include a set screw assembly that can be used to secure the connection between the tabbed end 80 and the channel 82 once the desired adjustments have been made.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 2 and 7, an interlock sub-assembly 84 that is configured to engage adjacent frame assemblies for auxiliary support is described in further detail. In the depicted embodiment, the interlock sub-assembly includes auxiliary support rods 86 configured to provide auxiliary support to cantilevered members 88 of the top sub-structure 26. The support rods 86 are attached to the cantilevered members 88 at a first end and include second ends that slide into engagement with the frame assemblies of an adjacent cabinet. In the depicted embodiment adjacent cabinets have holes configured to receive the support rods 86. In addition to providing auxiliary support to the cantilevered members 88, the support rods 86 further connect the modular cabinets into a single structure, thereby increasing the stability and structural integrity of the of overall system.

Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, the frame assembly 90 of the side burner cabinet 12 is shown. Referring to FIGS. 13 and 14, the frame assembly 92 of the filler cabinet 16 is shown. Both the frame assembly 90 of the side burner cabinet and the frame assembly 92 of the filler cabinet share features of the frame assembly 24 of the grill cabinet and therefore will not be described herein in detail. It should be appreciated that many other alternative frame assembly configurations, which are in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure, are possible.

The above specification, examples and data provide a complete description of the manufacture and use of the composition of the invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended. 

We claim:
 1. A universal outdoor kitchen cabinet system comprising: a modular frame assembly configured to support a least a first type of kitchen accessory therein and an outdoor veneer thereon; wherein the frame assembly includes a plurality of preassembly, generally planar sub-structures that are configured to be assembled at job sites by aligning mating structures that are fixed to the generally planar sub-structures; wherein the frame assembly defines at least one opening that is adjustable in size at the job site to accommodate various different sized kitchen accessories of the first type.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first type of kitchen accessories is selected from a group consisting of: a grill, a trash cabinet, and a refrigerator.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one opening includes a first frame member that is generally perpendicular to a second frame member, wherein both of the first and second frame members include outward facing surfaces that are generally in a common plane.
 4. The system of claim 3, wherein a mating structure on the first and second frame members is configured to interlock with mating structures on adjacent modular frame assemblies.
 5. The system of claim 3, wherein the tubular frame assembly includes a slide assembly that enables the size of the opening to be manually adjusted.
 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the slide assembly includes a first frame member that includes a channel along a length of the first frame member, and a second frame member that includes a protrusion at an end of the second frame member that fits within the channel.
 7. The system of claim 5, wherein the slide assembly further includes a third frame member that includes a channel along a length of the third frame member, and wherein the first frame member includes a protrusion at an end of the first frame member that fits within the channel.
 8. The system of claim 6, wherein the second frame member includes a telescoping construction that enables the length of the second frame member to be adjusted.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the cladding material includes a first sheet that is directly attached to the tubular frame via fasteners and a second sheet that is adhered to the first sheet.
 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the second sheet is a stone veneer.
 11. The system of claim 3, wherein the mating structures include a first plate fixed to a first, generally planar sub-structure, and a boss fixed to the first, generally planar sub-structure adjacent the first plate.
 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the mating structures include a second plate fixed to a second, generally planar sub-structure, and a boss receiving aperture fixed to the second, generally planar sub-structure adjacent the second plate.
 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the boss receiving aperture is configured to mate with the boss and the first and second plates are configured to be secured to each other by at least one fastener.
 14. The system of claim 1, wherein the modular tubular frame structure includes a maximum length, width, and height dimension when assembled, and wherein the modular tubular frame structure is configured to be disassembled and packaged for shipping such that at least one of the overall maximum length, width, or height of the package is less than fifty percent of the corresponding assembled dimension.
 15. The system of claim 1, wherein the frame assembly includes support rods that are configured to be extended into an adjacent frame assembly for auxiliary support.
 16. A method of constructing an outdoor kitchen cabinet system comprising: interlocking welded together planar tubular sub-structures to create a frame assembly for a first cabinet that defines a top plane, bottom plane, front plane, back plane, and opposed side planes; manually adjusting the size of an opening in at least one of the top or front planes based on a kitchen accessory that the opening is configured to receive; and connecting at least one of the opposed side planes of the frame assembly to an adjacent frame assembly for a second cabinet.
 17. The method of claim 16 further comprising: attaching sheet material over the frame assembly with fasteners; and attaching an outdoor veneer over the sheet material with adhesive.
 18. The method of claim 16 further comprising: extending support rods from the frame assembly for the first cabinet to an adjacent frame assembly for a second cabinet.
 19. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of manually adjusting the size of the opening is accomplished by sliding elongated tubular members in the same plane in directions perpendicular to their lengths relative to each other and locking them in place after the desired relative orientation of the elongated tubular members is reached.
 20. The method of claim 16, wherein the frame assembly is partially disassembled into planar sub-structures and stacked for shipping. 